The Wake Forest University Department of Anthropology promotes understanding and appreciation of human cultural and biological diversity. Through academic courses, scholarly and applied research, and public service, the Department of Anthropology provides the Wake Forest community with the tools and knowledge necessary for global citizenship. Composed of scholars representing all sub-fields of anthropology, the Department of Anthropology serves as the premier academic and practical resource for multicultural awareness and education in the University and Winston-Salem communities, enhancing the University’s commitment to Pro Humanitate.
Department of Anthropology News
- Karin Friederic’s New Book – The Prism of Human Rights: Seeking Justice amid Gender Violence in Rural Ecuador
- Dr. Ellen Miller: Published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
- Dr. Ellen Miller: Collaborates on project that shifts a paradigm of ape evolution
- Dr. Margaret Bender: Summer Writing Grant Presentation
- Dr. Margaret Bender: Deacon Profile
Anthropology in the National Press
Facebook Posts
Congratulations, WFU Anthropology Assistant Prof, Dr. Jessica MacClellan, on her new publication with Dr. Daniela Triadan (U. Arizona)!
Abstract:
We examine Late and Terminal Classic (c. 600–950 CE) Maya ceramic figurine whistles from Ceibal, Guatemala, as materials of socialization. The figurines are mold-made and represent repeating characters, including humans, animals, and supernaturals. Based on mortuary and other contextual evidence, we argue that they were used for household performances among adults and children. Figurines were everyday objects, used in ritualized and nonritualized activities. They were played and played with by children. The cast of characters represented in the figurine whistles was determined by adults and tells us about dominant ideologies, including gender and beauty norms. As agents of socialization, children could have reimagined or subverted narratives around these objects. However, the materiality of the figurines limited play and shaped social structures that persisted for centuries.
Highlights:
– Classic Maya ceramic figurines were musical instruments used in household performances and as toys.
– In burials, figurines were disproportionately associated with women and children.
– As everyday objects and materials of socialization, figurines mediated cultural values.
– In figurines, women showed themselves taking on a broader range of activities than men.
– Although they facilitated playful transgressions, figurines reproduced norms over many generations.
www.sciencedirect.com
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